Will urge Centre not to send back refugees, says Mizoram CM

Aizawl, Apr 2
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Thursday said that he is sending a delegation to the National capital to request the Central Government to change India's foreign policy on Myanmar and not send the refugees back.
Expressing that the Indian Government should be more open to Myanmarese people, the Chief Minister said that 'once the refugees from the military-ruled country come to Mizoram, they should be provided with food and shelter on humanitarian grounds'.
Speaking to ANI, Zoramthanga said, "I believe that the Indian Government should be more open to Myanmarese people. I have told this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am sending my delegation
to Delhi for discussion in this matter. We will request the Government to change the foreign policy to accept the Myanmar refugees and not send them back. The exodus of refugees is increasing. I do not know the exact number. But they are our brothers and we have to sympathise with them."
This comes days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asked four North Eastern States including Mizoram to take appropriate action to prevent a possible influx of people from coup-hit Myanmar into the country.
"I have expressed my views to Home Minister Amit Shah and told him that those people who came from Myanmar are our brothers and sisters. We have family ties with most of them. And once they came to Mizoram, we have to give them food and shelter from the humanitarian point of view. We want Myanmar to be a democratic Government and not a military Government," he further said.
On March 13, the Home Affairs Ministry had written a letter to the States asking them to take appropriate action as per law to check illegal influx from Myanmar into India. The Ministry, in its letter, also asked security forces to stay alert and take proper action.
The Ministry reiterated that State Governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations have no power to grant "refugee" status to any foreigner as India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol.
India Today